Life-boat for submarine vessels.



G. HILGQRS; LIFE BOAT PQR SUBMARINE VBSSELS. .APPLIOATION FILED JULY 5,1912.

Patented DGO. 16, 1913.

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lllhllfllf@ @TATES PATENT @FFfQE GEEBIT HLGEES, 0F ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS.

LTER-:BOAT FOR SUBMARINE VESSELS.

To aZZ whom t may concern Be it known that I, Gannrr Hincnns, a subject ofl the Queen of the Netherlands, residing at Bot-hastraat 23B, Rotterdam, King dem of the Netherlands, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Life- Boats for Submarine Vessels, of'which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to lifeboats which lare housed in submarine vessels their upper edge forming a water-tight joint therewith. The lifeboat is completely covered in a water-tight manner by a deck and a hemispherical deck light is arranged therein. By means of a manhole in the bottom of the boat the crew can reach it from the interior of the submarine. The fixing of thel edge of the boat or of the boat itself to the submarine is effected in such a manner that it can readily be disconnected from the interior of the boat. Now if the manhole is closed and the attachment of the boat re leased, owing to its buoyancy it willv rise to the vsurface of the water carrying with it the members of the crew. The life'boat is fixed by means of screws inserted in its npper edge and adapted to be loosened from the interior of the boat. The boat is also retained by means of cam shafts all of which are released simultaneously. In case the boat should not ascend by buoyancy alone after it has left its seat rpressure screws.

are arranged` -in addition to the fixing screws. ln order that the external water may flow beneath the lifeboat, a pipe provided with a cock is also arranged on the edge of the boat in such a manner that when the cock is opened communication is established between the external water and the space beneath the boat. `The air is thus able to escape from this space and water to enter it. In order'to prevent the water flowing beneath the lifeboat from entering the interior of the submarine itself, a partitionV is firmly built into the body of the submarine and surrounds the lifeboat leaving a very small interval. This wall is also provided with a manhole which registers with t-he manhole in the bottom of the boat. When this manhole is closed the external water is not able to enter the interior of the submarine vessel when this water is admitted beneath the lifeboat. Normally the lifeboat is firmly bolted to the submarine ves-A sel; the cocks of the water admission pipe are closed and both manholes are open.- la

Specification ofetters Patent.

Patented nee. te, isis.

Application 1ed July 5, 11912. Serial No. 707,909.

oase of need the crew passes through the two manholes up into the lifeboat; first of all the manhole in the partition is closed and then the manhole in the bottom of the lifeboatitself. The cocks on the water inlet pipes are then opened so that the eX- ternal water is able to enter the space between the lifeboat and Athe partition and finally the connecting screws are released and the screw holes thus freed again closed by means of caps, whereupon the cam shafts are all simultaneously released. The boat is then able to rise freely. If, however, for any reason, such for example as the adhesion of its joint-forming edge, it\s- Ould not rise, the boat canbe detached from 1 \seat forcibly by rotating the pressure screws.

An embodiment of the lifeboat for subpanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a submarine vessel provided with two lifeboats. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the boat and a portion of the submarine in longitudinal section to a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a top view of the lifeboat withthe deck partly removed, to a larger Scale. Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section on the line I-ll of Fig. 2 through the lifeboat fixed to the body of the submarine. Fig. 5 is a vertical section toa larger scale of the cam shaft arrangement fitted to the edge of the lifeboat firmly bolted to its seat. Fig. G is a similar section to Fig. 5 but through a fixing bolt.

In the deck l of the submarine 2 an opening is provided on the upper side which corresponds to the form of the edge of the boat. This opening is cut ofin in a water-tight manner from the interior of the vessel by a par` tition 3 built into the ship; this partition'y is of such a form that the life-boat can be inserted in the cavity formed by the partition. In the bottom of this partition a manhole 5 adapted to be closed by a rotatable hinged and water-tight cover 4 is arranged. In the longitudinal direction of this partitionsupports 6 are arranged for the reception of the boat inserted in the cavity. Around the upper edge of the cavity formed by the partition an inwardly projecting flange 7 is provided and is connected with the partition in the form of a T-piece 8. The projecting upper edge 9 of the boat rests on this'fiange 7 to which it is fixed by means of a special device from the interior of the boat. The lifeboat itself is formed l flange provided, and, like the manhole 5, must beadapted to be closed from the interior of the lifeboat. By means of the cover 12 the manhole 11 is closed watertight. The entirely closed deelt ofthe boat is provided with a hemispherical deck light known per sc which is norn'ially closed \\'aler-tiglit but which ean be opened when the boat is floatingl on the surface of the water. The projecting edge 9 of the boat can be formed as follows (Fig. G): The angle pieces 13 and 14 which are rigidly connected one with the other are fixed on the one hand to the wall 'of the boat 10 and on the other hand to t-he part 15 of the boat which is itself connected with the deck 1G of the boat. The i'nethod of connecting the cdge') of the boat or boat itself with the flange 7 or with the submarine may be asffollows: (Fig. (3). the bolts 177 preferably of copper or bra ss7 are firmly Ascrewed into the 'flange 7 or into a beading 18 fixed thereon. Through the lower rim of the edge t) or through the two angle pieces13; id lil which are rigidly connected one with the other( bushes 1f) preferably of copper or brass re firmly inserted. When the boat is in place the bolts 17 pass through the bushes 19 while then angle piece 13 rests on a strip of indiarubber 20. 1n the interior of the projecting edge 9 sufficient space is left for screwing copper or brass nuts 2 1v ontoy the upper end of the bolt 17 and tigzhtcnincl them up. This will cause the boat.' to reisty on the supports G 4) and it is cnnnected in a water-tight manner with the submarine while the deelt 16 and its projecting edggie 22 entirely covers the cavity formed by the partition.

Over the upper threaded portion of the bushes 19 caps 2lprorided with a hexagonal head 23 are screwed and rest on ringsI 25 of packing material. Between the bolts 1T a suitable number of pressure screws 26 are arranged (Fig. 3). 'Pipes 28 provided with cocks 27 conduct the external water into the space 29 located bene: th the flange '7 and between the partition and the wall of the boat. when the boat is to be released.

vln addition to beine` fixed by the means described above the lifeboat is connected with the flange 7 by a number of (say eight) cam shafts in the following manner (Fig. A; between two fixing bolts 17 flanges 30 are connected with the inner edge of the wall of' the boat 10(` in such a manner that "'the end of the cam shaft 32, which is car- .(Fisr.

ried in a watertight mannerV through this fiange and provided with a cam 31, engages beneath the flange 7 in its raised position. The collar 33 prevents the cam shafts from being `pressed'forward too far as it strikes against the front edge of the flange 7. On its inner side the cam shaft 32 is bent at a right angle so that it can be rotated by means of this bent portion 34. In the horizontal positio-nthese bent portions 311 engage in slots 35 in the arms 37 rigidly connected with the two horizontal shafts 36 `arranged in the direction of the length of the boat. By simultaneously acting upon the two levers 3S which are also rigidly connected with the shafts 36, all the cam shafts on the boat are drawn back into the recesses 39 simultaneously.

The rudder 40 (Fig. 2) of the boat can be rotated entirely beneath it so that but little space is occupied.

The boat is used in the following manner: The crew pass through the manholes 5 and 1.1 into the boat then first of all close the cover Il of the manhole 5 and then the cover 12 of the manhole 11 in the bottom of the boat itself; the cocks 27 are then opened so that the space 25) is placed in communication with the external water7 whereupon the caps 24 and nuts 21 are unscrewed and the caps 21 are again screwed on. The boat is then still. retained by the cam shafts 32 5). These members arel rotated through S) O so that the cams 31 no longer contact with the flange 7 and simultaneously the bent portions llt of the cam shafts 32 engage in the slots 35 in the arms 37. The beaty can then separate slightly from its seat;

it cannot. however. be expected-'that the boat g should become actually detached from its seat as this is prevented by the adhesion of the indiarubber strip 20 and the air which has not yet entirely escaped from the space 2). The pressure screws 2G are then rotated so that. the boat is raised forcibly (Fig. 3). The boat; is then retained by the cam shafts n2 only so that when they are all simultaneously withdrawn by actingupon the two levers 33 the boat is released and rises.

It is advisable. to provide all thc parts to be released in the boat` with a hexagonal head of the same size. The cam shafts 32 can also be provided with a hcxagon (Fig. 5) so that they can all be turned by a spanner of the same size. An adequate number of these spanners should always be contained in the boat ready for use. A small electric battery with lamps connected therewith should also be kept in the boat. The boat can also be providedl with a handoperated screw*` propeller and other means for driving the boat when it floats on thel detach it in about twenty minutes; a practiced crew could easily perform the operation in far less time. The known means for replacing the vitiated air in the boat can also be used. The weight of a life boat five meters long, two meters wide and 1.8 meters high can be taken as approximately from 2,000 to 3,000 kgs. with a light construction, while the quantity of water displaced is about 8,000 liters so that the total buoyancy is 8,000 kgs. VVit-h a load of 2,400 kgs. corresponding approximately to the weight of three men there is always an excess buoyancy of 2,600 to 3,600 kgs.

The boat can be housed on any part of the deck of the submarine, an appropriate position lbeing above the forecastle where the crew is berthed while if necessary a second boat can be housed in the after deck.v

lVhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In combination a. submarine vessel, a lifeboat located in a compartment in same, screw-threaded members mounted on the walls of said compartment and projecting into said lifeboat members operable from within said lifeboat and co-acting with said `screw threaded members, cam members simultaneously operable from within the lifeboat and engaging members on the walls of said compartment and constituting the means of effecting the complete release of the lifeboat from the said compartment.

Q. In combination a submarine vessel, a lifeboat located in a compartment therein, screw threaded members mounted on the walls of said compartment and projecting into said lifeboat members operable from within the lifeboat and co-acting with said screw threaded members for partially retaining the lifeboat in said compartment, cam shaped members coupled together so that they may be simultaneously operated from within the lifeboat, and engaging members on the walls of said compartment.

3. In combination a submarine vessel, a lifeboat located in a compartment therein, screw-threaded members mounted on the walls of said compartment and projecting caps adapted to render the connection between said members watertight, pressure screws operable from within the lifeboat andv adapted to assist the release of same frqm said compartment, cam shaped members coperating with-members on the'walls of` said compartment and coupled together so that they may be simultaneously operated from within the lifeboat, a manhole door in said lifeboat, a corresponding manhole in the submarine shell and a conduit for establishing communication between the outer water and the interior of said compartment.

4. In combination a submarine vessel, a lifeboat located in a compartment therein, screw threaded members mbunted on the walls ofrsaid compartment and projecting into the lifeboat,I members co-acting with said screw threaded members and operable from within the lifeboat, screw threaded caps adapted to render the connection between said members watertight, pressure screws operable from within the lifeboat and adapted to assist the release of same from said compartment, cam-shaped members co-operating with members on the Walls of said compartment andcoupled together so that they may be simultaneously operated from within the lifeboat, a manhole door in said lifeboat, a corresponding manhole in the submarine shell, a conduit for establishing communication between the outer water and the interior of said compartment, a

cover on said lifeboat which insulates the interior of said compartment from the outer water, and a hemispherical deck light on said cover adapted to be opened when said lifeboat is floating at the surface of the water.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

lVlLHEMUs C.V J. CLAvnAUs, MARTIN BAKER. 

